Nightmares or Prophecies?
by WritetoRight4ever
Summary: Severus has settled with a beloved wife and two wonderful children after the Second Wizarding World. All has been well for the last three years, the danger of the betrayed Death Eaters seemingly put behind him. But Severus begins suffering from a daily nightmares. Vivid visions of everything he fears to see from his wife's veela form to his family's murder. Are they prophecies?
1. Chapter 1

_Eliza was looking lovely this morning. Her red curls fell back like a blanket near her bum. Her skin was fresh as peach milk and would look smoother if the sun was not cowering behind the dawn clouds. It was early indeed but Eliza didn't want to stay in bed much longer. There was a long day ahead of them. Her eyes drifted to the man sleeping soundly beside her. Usually it was Severus who awoke earlier than her and enjoyed the quiet morning until the bustling activities of family life began. She rolled over in bed and leaned over to kiss her husband; her curls sprawled out about his face. He let out a moan but didn't stir._

 _"Tired this morning?" she fluttered, planting a few more kisses on his cheek._

 _"How are you not after the pleasant night I gave you?" Severus mumbled through his smirk. Eliza blushed and giggled before climbing on top of him and running her hands from her husband's chest to his shoulders in a slow, rhythmic motion._

 _"I've never felt so safe here, you know that?" she whispered sweetly, continuing to massage him. That earned her a few more moans from him._

 _"That was my purpose," Severus replied softly, barely opening his eyes to make contact with hers and moving his hands along her waist. "You're beautiful…" he mumbled softly._

 _"Darling…" she smiled again and leaned down to bury her face at the rim of his neck. She remained there for a few minutes, confident that she'd return to sleep with him but he was the one snoring lightly. Annoyed that they couldn't have a few more minutes of snuggling, Eliza sat up and climbed out of bed._

 _She decided to get an early start on the day by beginning with the laundry outside. Eliza stopped by her son's room on the way out to check up on him.  
Quietly making her way over to little Septimus's bed, she couldn't help but admire the way her little boy slept. Talk about an angel resting in the clouds. He was sleeping on his tummy with his little hands clutching the pillow enveloping his head. Black, shoulder-length waves of hair similar to that of his father's were mangled and partially covered his face._

 _Eliza smiled and bent down to kiss his cheek. That new baby smell hadn't left Septimus just yet. The boy gave a short stir before opening his tiny eyes to see his mother._  
 _"Whoops, sorry, sweetheart. Mama just came in to check if you're still asleep." She pushed the black waves of hair from his forehead and kissed it._

 _"Why you up now, mama?" Septimus asked quietly in that adorable, infant tone. Sleep was still heavy on his conscious._

 _"Mama was going to do the laundry and then make breakfast if you're still awake, honey. Are you hungry?" Eliza replied gently. At that, Septimus nodded and crawled up on his hands and knees before reaching up to his mother. Eliza smiled and took her son in her arms, carrying him out of the room and the cottage._

 _Today was cloudy indeed in northern Scotland where their second cabin was located. It was a small town filled with wizarding families looking for vacation homes as well. Thanks to the sale of both Severus's home in Spinner's End and the Ebony estate mansion just outside Diagon Alley, two other homes were made affordable. Not many neighbors were close by. One thing Severus had made exceptionally clear was that he wanted privacy for his family. The rumors of Death Eaters and Snatchers still lurking bothered Snape, who was deemed a "traitor" to the Dark Lord's cause. With the weeding of corruption within the Ministry, Severus and Eliza thought capturing these Voldemort idolaters would be easier._

 _Eliza held her son close in her arms and walked over to her front lawn where the line of drying laundry was located. She set Septimus down on the ground and pulled out her wand from under her silk sleeve._  
 _"Seppy dear, would you get mama the laundry basket?" Eliza asked softly._

 _Septimus obliged, walking over and dragging the wooden, oval-shaped basket over to his mother's feet._  
 _As expected of a two-year boy, Septimus curiously stepped into the basket and explored the inside while his mother levitated the clean clothing from the hangers with her wand and casted them into the basket on top of Septimus._

 _"Mama!" Septimus shot up from the basket and laughed at the clothing piled on him._

 _"Sweetheart, are you being silly?" Eliza chuckled and continued casting the clothing into the basket. Septimus laughed until he lost his balance and fell backwards, the basket flopping over his head and trapping him. Eliza brought her casting to a momentary halt before hurrying over to remove the basket from Septimus._

 _"Honey, are you alright?" Eliza asked in her concerned, motherly tone while removing the layers of clothing from her son's head._

 _"Mmh, mama," He stood and rushed past his mother to hide behind the tipped over basket. "You can't find me!" he giggled._

 _Eliza smiled sneakily at her son's playful mood this morning. "Oh, yes I can!" she called back in a teasing tone before crawling over to the basket on all fours. Still giggling, Septimus crawled around the opposite way his mother was heading and quickly hopped onto her back before she had time to realize it._

 _"I got you!" he proclaimed victoriously, mounting himself across her long hair._

 _"You sure did…" She sighed in defeat before smirking again. "But not this time!"_

 _With that, she tipped over so Septimus could plop to the ground gently and began tickling him. His black hair was spread out against the cold, earthly ground like a spider web. He laughed loudly at the tickling sensation in his tummy until he turned his head to the right and noticed a person barely visible at the edge of the woods in front of the Snape vacation home._

 _"Mama, look." He pointed a tiny finger in the direction of the woods. Eliza looked over and the smile dropped from her face at the same figure looking over at them from behind the trees._

 _"I think that might be a neighbor and… is that one of our laundry?" Eliza questioned herself as she squinted her eyes to see a white, silk dress on the dirt in front of the figure. Could he just be returning something?_

 _"I got it! I got it!" Septimus offered, jumping to his feet and hurrying up the hill towards the dress._

 _"Wait for me, Septimus. Don't run." Eliza ordered as she pursued him. They climbed up the hill together with Eliza lifting her nightgown to avoid slipping. Septimus reached for the dress and picked it up with his little hands._

 _"I got it, mama." Septimus announced. In front of him, a man with brown trousers, a black overcoat, beige vest, and pink scarf emerged from behind the tall, Cyprus tree._

 _Adding onto his hideous mismatch of clothing was his brown, matted hair pulled loosely back into a ponytail. He looked as if he hadn't washed in days. The man leaned against the tree and played with his fingers, staring intently at the young boy in front of him. It was none of than Scabior, and the cold, greedy stare in his blue eyes made Septimus step back in fear._

 _"Why 'ello there, 'lil one. Kinda dangerous to be out 'ere on your own, eh? But I can see you ain't…" Scabior greeted in that teasing tone of his, watching as Eliza finally made it to her son._

 _"Septimus, come down dar—" Eliza began but was cut off by the sight of the last and most undesirable guest on her property. It took a few ticking moments to figure just who he was. Wasn't he supposed to be dead during the Battle of Hogwarts? Her heart began to race. Her fears skyrocketed. They knew where the Snape family lived. Who else knew? Worse at the moment, what was he going to do?_

 _"Why, 'ello there, Mrs. Snape. You're lookin' lovely this mornin'." He smirked, his eyes suddenly filling with lust and scanning up her body._

 _Eliza glared fiercely at him and clutched onto her son, pulling him close to her._  
 _"What are you doing here? How are you alive? It's impossible!" She sneered at Scabior._

 _"Nah, runnin' away's a better option than fightin' a war you already lost. And besides…" Scabior took a steady step closer to Eliza and Septimus, malicious intent solely bent on revenge racing through his mind._

 _Eliza's eyes didn't waver from Scabior as she picked her son up and held him in her arms protectively. She backed away until her back made contact with a giant and foul-smelling Snatcher. Eliza pivoted and drew her wand with a free hand, holding Septimus against her chest by his bum with the other hand._

 _"I don't think you'll be doin' any runnin' away right now, beautiful." Scabior's tone became suddenly sterner, almost reassuring._

 _Without warning, Eliza casted a none-verbal curse at the giant Snatcher in front of her. He flew back violently, invoking four more Snatchers to jump out._

 _"Expelliarmus!" Scabior shrieked, pulling out his wand while Eliza's wand flew out of her hand and out of reach. Eliza panicked. There was no way to protect herself or her son now, except…_

 _"Don't you dare touch me!" Eliza growled at the four Snatchers walking towards her predatorily. She was backing up to Scabior without realizing it._

 _"Oh, you can ensure I'll do a lot more than that." Scabior purred maliciously._

 _In a rage, Eliza pivoted and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. The four Snatchers stopped in place, clearly startled. Septimus began to whimper but his mother covered his eyes with her other hand._

 _Scabior felt his cheek redden with soreness before his face crunched into an ugly expression of fury._

 _"Take the brat from 'er!" Scabior snapped at his comrades. Instantly, the Snatchers seized Septimus from Eliza's arms and shoved her back into Scabior's chest._

 _"Mama! MAMA!" Septimus bawled loudly and thrashed in the Snatcher's hands._

 _"No! Septimus! GIVE ME MY BABY!" Eliza screamed and reached out to Septimus, only to be pulled back by Scabior and thrown to the ground with such force that the breath was knocked from her body._

 _Scabior smirked malevolently and immediately threw himself on top of her. Eliza screamed as Scabior began roughly kissing the side of her face. He laughed at her feeble attempts to shove him off; it only provoked him to reach into her skirt. No one would be around to save her. Severus was most likely in a deep, undisturbed sleep after a long night. Her only solution was to fight back ferociously, for herself and her son._

 _His pitiful, frightened cries were horrible to hear. "Mama, help me! Mama, no!" he continued to wail, flailing his arms and feet against the thug holding him back and laughing at Eliza's screams. In a sudden flash of fury, Septimus aimed a punch up the giant Snatcher's jaw, immediately stopping his cruel laughter._

 _The Snatcher stared down at the boy in disbelief for a moment until his face crunched in anger and he threw Septimus down to hard, cold earth, knocking the breath from his little body._

 _Eliza gasped at the horrible scene of her son crying on the ground and continuing to call out "mama". Something snapped inside of Eliza. A new kind of motherly instinct swelled inside of her like a surging electrical wire. Scabior was ravaging her neck and caressing her when Eliza attempted to shove him violently into the tree next to them. It failed and only made Scabior more determined to hear her scream._

 _"Bitch!" he yelled, pinning her arms next to her head and grinding her more violently. Eliza wasn't phased. She firmly shook off his grip and latched her teeth onto the side of his face, biting down._

 _Scabior yelped in pain at the biting sensation and stood on his knees. Blood trickled down his cheek and he continued screaming._

 _"Ah, you – BITCH!" he shrieked and slapped her across the face as hard as he could._

 _The Snatchers watched in discomfort when one of them was suddenly hit with the Killing Curse from behind and fell forward like cut timber. The other Snatchers pivoted in fear when another was shot back with the Cruciatus Curse, tormenting his entire body._

 _It was Severus Snape, and he was directly behind them, more inhumanly furious and vengeful than ever. He shot the rest of the Snatchers back with the unforgivable curse again before turning on Scabior still violating his wife._  
 _In a rage, Severus rushed over and yanked the filthy scum from Eliza, disapparating with him on the spot._

 _Eliza looked around in shock. They were all gone. The forest was suddenly quiet. What happened? She was nearly out of breath from the shock. She turned frantically to her son who was rushing into her arms._

 _"M-ama!" he sobbed, clutching onto his mother for dear life. Eliza wrapped her arms around her boy protectively and cradled him._

 _"It's alright, honey. Shh, mama's here. They're gone. It's alright. Are you hurt?" She pulled his head back to scan his body for injuries. Septimus shook his head and sniffled. Eliza whipped the cascading tears away from his pink, little cheeks and kissed around his face desperately, relieved that he was okay._

 _"Mama's here… mama's here…" she soothed, rocking him in her lap and massaging his head. Eliza stared ahead, for she knew it was her husband that had rescued them. He would return after casting his bone-chilling revenge on Scabior for the assault on his family. She waited. And waited. And waited._

 _There was no sign of him. Surely revenge couldn't take this long. But she would continue to wait for their sake. Septimus was resting his face sideways on his mother's shoulders when another hooded figure disapparated in front of him without making so much as a popping sound._

 _It was unusually dark with not a hint of goodness intended. Septimus's green eyes, the same as his mother's, trailed up the cloak to see a white face with a flat nose under the black hood. The figure turned his head towards the boy, his cold, red eyes glaring maliciously at Septimus until he pulled out his wand quicker than Eliza could pivot when all became green…_

Severus's eyes shot open in horror and stared at the dark ceiling above him. He was in his bedroom, his surroundings quiet and still. His pupils frantically looked around for any sign of foul play. Thankfully, it was only a nightmare.

Severus heaved a sigh of relief and turned his head to his left. Eliza was fast asleep next to him, her face turned to him with her red curls dangling across her face. Her eyes were closed in a peaceful manner and her breathing was at a pace Severus could reassure himself was normal. She was nude after their little night and snuggled up0 to him. It took him a moment to realize that she wasn't attacked by the Snatchers or… the Dark Lord himself. They were all dead, and have thankfully been for years now.

Severus pulled back his nightwear sleeve and trailed his cold fingers over his faded Dark Mark. It was nothing more than a scar now. It no longer hurt or burned his skin. Grinning and placing an arm around his wife, Severus pulled her against him.

Eliza stirred a little at the sudden movement but cuddled into her husband's chest and resumed her rhythmic sleep. She felt so warm against his body, so calm.  
Severus brushed the strands of red hair from her face and kissed her forehead.

Thank Merlin it was only a nightmare, but he couldn't push aside the eerie feeling that this _nightmare_ may actually be a prophecy. It wasn't the first time he received an unwanted prediction.


	2. Chapter 2

_Severus and Eliza grinned as they carried their children to Hogwarts for a visit. Septimus and Eileen had never seen the school before and both parents were delighted at the thought of touring the castle that would one day become their home as it was for them. Septimus was five years old and little Eileen was two now. This wouldn't be their first visit, as Severus was hoping to earn himself the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position at last._

 _"Septimus, don't run ahead! Wait for mama and daddy." Eliza called out to her son already inside the entrance hall. He hopped around the stone flooring excitedly. Severus watched as his daughter Eileen looked around the room with her tiny, wondrous eyes while sucking her pacifier._

 _"Eiween, look! The pictures talk!" Septimus pointed to the collage of portraits hung above the massive entrance door._

 _"Those are portraits, honey." Eliza chuckled and picked Septimus up in her arms while Severus held Eileen in his arms._

 _The little girl reached out to one of the portraits with her tiny hand and made a grunting noise. Severus knew his daughter's gestures whenever she wanted to feel something. The former potions master walked over to a small portrait depicting Sir Nicholas, the Gryffindor ghost before he was murdered. His head was completely intact, something Severus found amusing._

 _He stepped over to Sir Nicholas's small portrait close enough for Eileen to reach out with one hand to feel over Nicholas's whimsy white curls. It wasn't long after Eileen began feeling the portrait did Sir Nicholas begin talking._

 _"Oh – what – who goes there?! Who touched me?" Nicholas looked around frantically before his grey eyes settled on the little girl with blonde curls staring at him in surprise. "Why, hello there, little one! What's your name? My name is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington! Well… used to be and now these blasted children amuse themselves in calling me -!" Sir Nicolas began in a rant but was cut off angrily by Severus._

 _"Don't use such foul language in front of my daughter!" Severus sneered and glared at Sir Nicolas. The portrait stared back at Severus as if the former potions master had slashed him._

 _"Your daughter?! Slytherus Snape's?!" Sir Nicolas exclaimed in shock. Severus merely rolled his eyes and set Eileen down at his feet._

 _"Typical Gryffindor," Severus spat. "Unable to restrain their cheekiness or deduce an obvious scene." Sir Nicolas looked offended at this but Eliza intercepted before either of them could speak._

 _"Severus dear, let's go. Minerva's waiting for us and I'm the one unable to restrain Septimus right now." Eliza said, struggling to keep their son's hand in her grip. At last, he managed to break her grip on him and hurry over to lift his sister in his arms._

 _"Come on, Eiween. I carry you!" Septimus grunted and slowly walked towards the marble staircase with Eileen in his arms. Minerva McGonagall, the Headmistress, was walking down the stairs and towards the Snape children._

 _"Ah, Minerva," Severus nodded politely and walked towards the stairs, behind his laughing children._

 _"Good to see you, Severus. You too, Eliza." Minerva replied graciously, smiling. Eliza noticed that her old friend has aged considerably since the end of the Second Wizarding War. Minerva's hair was beginning to show strands of white in her grey bun. Wrinkles had become more apparent around her eyes and lips. The job of a Headmistress surely wasn't an easy one. Severus would say as much._

 _Eileen was beginning to whimper so Eliza lifted her from Septimus's untrusting arms._

 _"You haven't aged a bit, Minerva." Eliza chuckled and hugged the Headmistress with her free arm._

 _"Neither have you, Eliza," Minerva gave a hearty chuckle. "Especially after children. I can see young Septimus here changing that soon." She looked down at the spitting image of Severus Snape and smiled. Septimus smiled back timidly and stepped back behind his mother's dress._

 _"Don't be shy, sweetheart. Say hello." Eliza told her son softly._

 _"Hello." Septimus almost whispered, turning his head away._

 _"He's got his father's looks, but his mother's eyes." Minerva commented kindly. The exact description reminded her of Harry Potter._

 _"Fortunately," Severus replied sarcastically, getting close to his family._

 _"Well, I'm happy you've visited today. And don't remind me that you came to see about the Dark Arts teaching position, Severus. Follow me. I can have the children stay with the prefects if you desire." Minerva offered. Severus and Eliza agreed just on Severus's terms that they weren't Gryffindors, irritating Eliza._

 _Minerva called over three Hufflepuff prefects to take Septimus and Eileen to the courtyard while Severus and Eliza talked with Minerva at the Headmistress's office._

 _It was difficult at first, trying to pry Eileen away from mummy and daddy. She gave a little cry but before it could get any louder, Septimus cuddled up to his sister and kissed her little, flushed cheeks. Having her brother's company felt reassuring and she reluctantly held a Hufflepuff girl's hand just as long as her brother was nearby._  
 _The three adults sat in the Headmistress's office, sipping red wine and chatting lightly._

 _"Little Eileen seems attached to her dear parents." Minerva commented empathetically._

 _"Oh yes, always wants to cling onto mama or daddy whenever we go out. Sometimes I'm convinced that she's aware of danger. Septimus just takes chances. That's his nature." Eliza replied with a laugh._

 _"It's safe to say I can guess which Houses Septimus and Eileen will be Sorted into." Minerva said with a mysterious grin. Severus raised a brow at her hint. It didn't long before the conversation took a serious turn._

 _"Now I know you want that teaching position, Severus, but frankly, I'm uncomfortable granting the position to you. Don't take it personally, but there are still Death Eaters at large—" Minerva said._

 _"I think there will always be, Minerva. Just as there will always be dark wizards." Eliza reasserted._

 _"And with many of the dangerous Death Eaters safely behind bars in Azkaban, none should be a threat to me or my family. I believe I've made my capabilities quite… renowned in the Wizarding World." Severus added calmly, sipping his drink and looking over the portraits of past headmasters hung around the room before settling on the one of Albus Dumbledore._

 _"Filch claims he's heard noises by the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirements. Strange noises – almost like angry voices – so I've forbade any of the students from entering the room." Minerva explained gravely, her large eyes staring down at the ground in anxiousness._

 _"Perhaps you should have the Ministry investigate it." Eliza suggested with equal anxiousness._

 _"Oh no, I've dismissed the idea long ago when the Ministry became too involved back in 1995 with that Umbridge woman," A disdainful shudder ran down Minerva's back at the thought of her._

 _"The foul woman's safely behind bars in Azkaban where she belongs." Eliza replied indifferently, suddenly angry at the mention of Dolores Jane Umbridge. Severus smirked at his wife's fit of rage._

 _"Indeed," Minerva agreed wholeheartedly._

 _"But Minerva, if you hire Severus again, you can ensure any Death Eaters attempting on Hogwarts again won't dare to come near this school anymore. He'd crush them in a flash. They'd be foolish to not have an idea of his abilities by now." Eliza proudly proclaimed. Severus gave a momentary grin at Eliza's support before turning to Minerva._

 _The Headmistress tapped her pursed lips with her wrinkly finger, clearly considering Eliza's words. Severus played with his fingertips as he awaited the Headmistress's decision. His dark eyes glanced over to his wife's soft hands in her lap. He was tempted to hold her hand and wait but decided against it._

 _Finally, Minerva looked up and nodded slowly. "I think you're right, Eliza. I'll hire you, Severus. I know how many years you've wanted the job and it only seems right to let you have it. When do you want to start?"_

 _Severus felt an immense surge of pride within himself. Eliza beamed at Minerva's decision and instinctively held her husband's hand next to her._

 _"As soon as you favor." Severus replied softly._

 _"Wonderful. I'll arrange the teaching position today. Feel free to spend the night here at your former dormitory in the dungeons. You must be exhausted after traveling." Minerva said, standing from her seat._

 _"Especially with the children." Eliza joked._


	3. Chapter 3

_For a single woman with no children, Minerva McGonagall was quite clever when it came to recognizing the signs of a couple wanting "alone time". She ordered the Hufflepuff prefects to extend their watch over the Snape children before flashing a mystifying wink at Eliza. Doing so at Severus would have earned a sneer along with a hilarious hint of flushed cheeks. Eliza only giggled and tugged at her husband for his attention._

 _The couple left the Headmistress's office and headed down to the Slytherin dungeons. No doubt the Slytherin students would be down there this Saturday. Being lenient as he unfair to his Slytherin students, Severus wouldn't tell them to beat it and go outside instead, but not when he wanted alone time with his wife. They knew to keep well away from him out of respect already. The Death Eaters surely did. The dormitory they stayed in together throughout Harry's time at Hogwarts would bring back memories, both cherishing and discomforting._

 _To both of their surprise, none of the Slytherin students were in their common room today. Perhaps today was a Quidditch match for them. Either way, both walked to their private dormitory, locking the door behind them with Severus's wand._

 _"_ _Wow…" Eliza marveled at the change in their dormitory. "Are you sure we're in the right room?" Eliza questioned suspiciously._

 _"Of course," Severus replied, amused. The walls were painted a gentle forest green to match the Slytherin colors. The pillows and covers of the bed were a lighter shade of green. A new desk with shelves of Severus's favorite books were placed beside the bed under the window. The flooring was wooden instead of stone. Overall, the atmosphere of the room was cleaner and brighter, almost peaceful than years ago._

 _"_ _I hardly recognized it… I wonder who could have redesigned it." Eliza said out loud to herself. Severus grinned and placed both hands gently on her biceps.  
_  
 _"Well, surely the children would enjoy having more space and sunlight for their playtime," Severus hinted._

 _Eliza pivoted to face her husband and begin massaging his firm shoulder suggestively. Her green eyes gazed into his own. Smirking, Severus leaned in and kissed her. Eliza wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down so that both of them flopped onto the bed behind them. It was just like old times back in Severus's double agent years._

 _"I knew she'd give you the job, darling." Eliza moaned, feeling along his arms through his thick, black sleeves._

 _"Better than asking for the Headmaster's title again. She must have read my mind." Severus replied sarcastically, making Eliza giggle before resuming their smooching._

 _"The Vanishing Cabinet is truly troubling… are you sure it's safe to let the children wander?" Eliza brought up worriedly, turning her head so Severus's lips could trail down to her neck._

 _"They're with Hufflepuff prefects, Eliza. They'll be fine. I trust that a Hufflepuff would behave themselves far more than a Gryffindor." Severus mocked. Eliza slapped his shoulder in playful retort._

 _"They're prefects for a reason, no matter what the House is." Eliza shot back, wrapping her legs around his waist and pinning him against her. Severus gaped at her in surprise at the sudden move before smirking again._

 _"We should argue about this more often." He teased._

 _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Where in Merlin's name could they be?!" One of the prefects complained, nearly at his wit's end. The other two prefects looked as terrified as the word extends._

 _Septimus and Eileen had run off when all three of them were struggling to separate a Ravenclaw and Slytherin student fighting ferociously in the courtyard. If they didn't find Snape's children by supper time, they would surely be at his wrath. Losing their prefect titles would be the least concern on their minds._

 _"Maybe we should check the viaduct. They couldn't have gotten that far." The Hufflepuff girl insisted. The other two agreed before hurrying off in that direction.  
Behind the wall that separated the prefects from the viaduct, Septimus and Eileen were crouched down until the boy peeked over the column to check if the coast was clear._

 _"Come on Eiween, let's go see daddy's room." Septimus suggested and took his little sister by the hand._

 _"Dada! Dada!" Eileen giggled and happily jumped at her brother's side. The two children hurried into the open space in front of them where the Great Hall was located. Two rows of tables were situated before them with a few students seated at both, receiving owl letters unusually late. Septimus and Eileen watched in wonder as a beautiful red owl flew over their heads, carrying a white letter in his claws._

 _"I got it! I got it!" Septimus encouraged, jumping up to try and reach the letter from the owl's claws._

 _"Me! Me!" Eileen joined in and mimicked her brother's jumps. A girl from Ravenclaw turned in her seat at the sound of the commotion and saw the two children reach for her owl. She wasn't the least bit angry at this._

 _"Aw! So cute! Come, Marnie." The girl commanded her owl and held out an arm for Marnie to land on. The owl obeyed and passed the letter to its master, clutching its claws around the girl's outstretched arm. Septimus and Eileen shyly watched the owl stare back at them with dark, slanted eyes while the girl read her letter. When she finished, the girl turned her attention to the two siblings holding each other's hand._

 _"Do you want to pet her? Here," The girl asked them kindly, lowering her arm. Septimus cautiously approached the owl with Eileen trailing behind for protection. He reached up reluctantly and began brushing his little hand along the owl's soft, fuzzy fur. The owl cooed and leaned into Septimus's petting._

 _"She likes that. My name's Roma. What's your name?" The girl encouraged. Across from Roma, her friends squealed at how adorable the siblings were._

 _"I'm Septimus. I wanna go see daddy's room." Septimus answered in that tiny tone of his. The girls squealed more and stood from their seats to admire the cute little boy closely._

 _"Aww, how cute! What's your daddy's name? What about your sister?" Roma continued in a slow tone._

 _"My daddy's name is Sev'rus. My sister is Eiween." Septimus replied and pulled his sister close to show the girls. The gang of friends looked down at Septimus as though he cussed in front of them, and then turned to murmur to one another. Severus Snape's children were visiting today._

 _"Oh – girls, stop it! That's not nice! You're looking for your daddy? Poor guy; he's lost. I'll take you to his classroom… if he's still there, I suppose." Roma offered and sent her owl away. She stood from her seat and took the children by the hand, glaring back at the girls mocking Snape by impersonating his many snarky stances._

 _~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Mmm, you were just wonderful…" Eliza moaned, pulling the sheets up to her chest and snuggling into the pillows. They smelled vacant and had lost the scent of her husband from years of disuse._

 _Severus moaned as well, placing an arm around his wife and pulling her close. "You never fail to please me, love." He told her softly, brushing the curls from her back and kissing it. They stayed this way for several, quiet moments, relishing the alone time they were granted._

 _"This brings back memories, doesn't it darling?" Eliza asked philosophically. Severus groaned in agreement, cuddling closer to her. It still amused Eliza that this cold and calculating wizard who polarized both sides loved to snuggle!_

 _"Keeping our love bound here… risking our lives if exposed… falling more in love over the months… at least we didn't have our honeymoon here." Eliza chuckled as she filed through her thoughts._

 _Severus smiled but it short-lived. After all, they had taken that honeymoon in northern Scotland, right before he put her into hiding and returned to Hogwarts to kill Dumbledore._

 _"We have supper in the Great Hall a while from now. I can call Minerva to have the prefects bring the children." Severus offered. Eliza agreed, but not before they finished off with their fun time._

 _Roma was walking with Septimus holding her hand and Eileen holding her brother's at her own insistence. They walked down the hall leading to the Potions classroom. Professor Slughorn was the new potions master but why not give the children a tour of what their father once taught for several years?_

 _"So, um, your daddy's visiting here at school today?" Roma asked Septimus to spark conversation._

 _"Dada!" Eileen perked at the sound of her father's name._

 _"Yep, daddy wants to be here forever now. Know why?" Septimus responded sweetly._

 _"Why?" Roma nearly chuckled at the thought of Snape being here forever._

 _"Daddy wants to teach here." Septimus answered._

 _"Oh…" That response took Roma completely by surprise. "Does your daddy want to teach potions?"_

 _"No, he want to teach D.A...D.A." Septimus corrected proudly._

 _"Dada!" Eileen pronounced the assumed spelling. The potions room was directly in sight but Roma had a feeling she should probably go to the third floor instead where the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was located, not that she liked it for good reasons._

 _Roma took the stairway which moved and adjusted to new entrances. It made Septimus and Eileen squeal with excitement like children on a roller coaster._

 _They passed halls containing portraits of past Hogwarts staff, many of whom stared curiously at the two children walking past them. Rarely did anyone younger than eleven step foot in Hogwarts._

 _"Why they staring at us?" Septimus asked Roma curiously._  
 _  
"They're interested in you." Roma replied casually._

 _"Why?" Septimus pressed._

 _"…Why, because you're Snape's children, of course!" Roma joked._  
 _They reached the outside of the DADA classroom at last. They only had a temporary professor this time of year. Roma made a face. If there was anyone more displeasing than Severus Snape, it was this man._

 _Knocking softly on the door, Roma heard the odd ruckus of objects hitting the floor and glass breaking. The door swung open to reveal a hunched over and sour-faced man with matted brown hair. He could have easily been related to Argus Filch, both in looks and personality._

 _"What do yer want, Miss Ramsy?" The DADA professor questioned impatiently._

 _"Sorry to disturb you Professor Folly, but Severus Snape's children are visiting today and they wanted to see where their father's going to – er – used to work, sir." Roma explained. Professor Folly looked at her as if she had slapped him and stared down at the children patiently holding Roma's hand._

 _"I… don' see why not. Why… this is somewhat of a surprise." Professor Folly commented uncomfortably. Something in his gestures suggested to Roma that the sudden news had disturbed his plans._

 _"Are we interrupting anything, sir—" Roma asked._

 _"No, no, no… I – come in then. They'll have to make it quick though." Professor Folly answered stiffly and stepped aside to let the three of them in. Septimus and Eileen marveled at the size of the classroom. There were too many desks to count for them and never have they seen a staircase inside a classroom._

 _Without warning, the two broke away from Roma and hopped down the floors, towards the stairway._

 _"Don't you brats break anything now!" Professor Folly warned viciously._

 _"I'll ensure that they don't… professor." Roma assured him warily. The last thing she needed was for the children to cry at the sound of his harsh tone._  
 _But the children paid no mind to either of them. They seemed to rather enjoy themselves, climbing up the stone steps on all fours._

 _As Roma approached Snape's children to watch over them, Folly stood by the window, anxiously looking out as though expecting someone not welcomed._

 _"Say, Ramsy," Professor Folly spoke up._

 _"Yes… sir?" Roma replied attentively. His tone sounded more casual._

 _"You wouldn't happen to, uh, noticed anything unusual on the seventh floor all day, have you?" He questioned suspiciously._

 _"Er… no. I haven't. Filch though has been restricting our visits up there for a few days now." Roma answered uncertainly._

 _"I see… and how long do you think Severus Snape will be here?" he asked, intrigued._

 _"I'm not sure. But his son just told me he wants to get a job here." Roma hid the other half of her answer for both of their sakes._

 _That earned wide eyes from the professor and a mysterious smile._  
 _"Now that's very interesting…" he commented._


	4. Chapter 4

_"Say, uh, Miss Ramsy?" Professor Folly softened his tone, eyeing the Snape children playing together in the back. Roma watched them with a smile on her face. That boy looked so much like his father from his nose, pallid skin, and black, shoulder-length hair. Eileen had his eyes, but unlike Severus's, were filled with joy and wonder. Severus and Eliza were clearly doing a great job at raising them._

 _"Yes, professor?" Roma asked, turning away from the children and towards him.  
_  
 _"There are some papers back there behind my desk that needs sortin'. Do you think you can do that for me? My old back ain't cut out for that right now. Plus, I need to back a quick stop somewhere. Do not leave this room, you hear me?" Folly ordered with an edge at the last sentence._

 _"Of… course, professor." Ramsy hesitantly nodded. With that, Folly gave Septimus, who was pressing his bubble cheeks together to make popping noises for Eileen's amusement, a suspicious smirk before leaving the room. Roma narrowed her brows in confusion at this._

 _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Back inside Hogwarts, Eliza and Severus were on a search for the Hufflepuff prefects responsible for watching their children. Dinner in the Great Hall would start any moment._

 _"Where in Merlin's name could they be?" Eliza pressed impatiently. That feeling in her gut was resurfacing again. It was only natural for a devoted mother like her to feel worry._

 _"I'm sure they're fine, Eliza. Don't worry. You know how rambunctious our children can get at that age." He softly reassured her, bringing a hand to her bum and upwards since there weren't many people around to witness it, especially students._  
 _Just as Eliza was becoming frustrated in her search, Minerva emerged from the hall that led out of the Quad._

 _"Ah, Minerva, have you seen the Hufflepuff prefects? Severus and I were just searching for the children; it's nearly time for dinner. I just hope Septimus remembers to wash up. Other than that, no excuse for being late!" Eliza asked._

 _"Perhaps they've gone upstairs with the prefects. I know they have an eye for exploring. Hogwarts is a massive castle." Minerva replied graciously._

 _"Leave it to me, Eliza," Severus intercepted and pulled out his wand. "Expecto Patronum…" A beautiful, glowing swan erupted from the end of his wand and glided down the hall in search of the children._

 _"Ah, why didn't I think of that?" Eliza scolded herself humorously. "The children love glowing things."_

 _"Best not to let your worry cloud your judgment, Eliza." Severus teased with her favorite smirk and bent his arm forward for her to take. Eliza blushed in embarrassment and took his arm._

 _"They'll follow soon enough. I hope they like pumpkin juice." Minerva smiled and followed them into the Great Hall where Houses were assembling at their seats._

 _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Professor Folly was growing more anxious by the minute since his return. Roma eyed him apprehensively behind his desk as the hunched man glanced out of the oddly coloring sky and tapped his foot impatiently. She returned to filing the papers when he looked over her way. She didn't like the way he was glaring at the children but that was to be expected of a foul person like him._

 _Right now, Septimus was teaching Eileen how to clap and hop at the same time just as he had done with Teddy on their play dates. Eileen sucked onto her pacifier and grunted in an effort to mimic her brother._

 _"Roma, you wanna try?" Septimus asked the Ravenclaw girl in his tiny voice that made her smile widely._

 _"I'm sorry, Septimus. I have to file these for Professor Folly. Actually, we should start heading to the Great Hall now. It's time for dinner." Roma replied kindly._  
 _At this, Professor Folly, who was loitering by the closed door, glancing repeatedly out the windows, turned to her in surprise. Had time really flown by that quickly?_

 _"Rom – er – Miss Ramsy, I been thinkin' and I thought… it'd be considerate to show Snape's children his storeroom on the seventh floor. I think, uh, they'd 'ppreciate somethin' like that. Course I ain't gonna let 'em touch anything. Just to look around and see the greatness their father's done." Something in Folly's aged face twitched at the word "greatness" as though it were forbidden. He scratched the back of his head in discomfort. Roma narrowed her brows but was in no position to object. Any disobedience would not settle serenely with someone like Folly._

 _"Oh, sure. Septimus, Eileen, let's go see your daddy's room." Roma gently told the children as promised. Septimus perked like a dog receiving a bone at the sound of this._

 _"Yeah, yeah!" Septimus wrapped his entire arms around his sister's waist and lifted her. Eileen acted as if nothing was happening; she was accustomed to his excessive lifts._

 _"Dada!" Eileen added eagerly. Roma stood closely next to the children as Folly opened the door for them. His stiff and scrawny shoulders were relaxed and he was no longer glancing about. Once the three were on their way, Folly closed the door behind him, smirking and locking the knob by jinxing it._

 _"Roma?" Septimus asked as they walked up the steps of the shifting stairways._

 _"Yes, Septimus?" she replied._

 _"_ _Did you meet daddy yet?" he pressed._

 _"Dada!" Eileen exclaimed. "Dada's got wand. He pick things up and make pretty lights. I like lights."_

 _Roma looked down at her in delighted surprised that she managed to say something other than "dada"._

 _"That's lovely! I haven't met your daddy but I'm sure he's very… like a Slytherin." Roma finished. She didn't know how to describe such a cold and calculating character like him to their children._

 _"What Swiverin?" Eileen asked curiously, her dark little eyes staring up at the Ravenclaw girl with brunette hair and a Mona Lisa-like smile. She was swaying in Septimus's tight arms and chewed on the end of her pacifier._

 _"It's a House at Hogwarts a hat sorts you into. Slytherins are very cunning and ambitious and clever. Your daddy is a Slytherin and your mummy is a Gryffindor." Roma explained. Neither of the children understood a word she was saying but they liked the sound of that next complicated word._

 _"What's Gryffindor? Is Gryffindor a hat?" Septimus asked, clutching harder onto his sister who was beginning to whine again. Roma lifted Eileen out of Septimus's arms and set her down._

 _"No, silly. Gryffindor is a House. You go into that House if you're brave, courteous, and just." Roma corrected._

 _"But mama said she got Huffpuff." Septimus complained, remembering the Houses his mother told him about. Roma stared at him intriguingly. Professor Ebony nearly being Sorted into Hufflepuff? That wasn't surprising. Of course, that'd be the last House Snape would be in but he surely appreciated their habit of obeying rules. Eliza was as kind and patient as can be. While she taught here, all the Houses except for Slytherin loved her as much as they resented Snape._

 _"Well, your mama is a very kind and loyal soul. She's very beautiful." Roma smiled._

 _"Mama say dada is beau'ful." Eileen added with a giggle. Roma almost burst into laughter as well, but such an act would be inappropriate in front of Snape's children. He was brave indeed but it didn't make him any better looking. The greasy, black hair and hooked nose still existed._

 _They finally arrived on the seventh floor. The dimly lit halls were vacant due to everyone already seated for dinner in the Great Hall._

 _"I'll lead the way," Folly insisted and walked in front of them. They continued in silence while Roma's blue eyes drifted to the small storeroom door just a few rooms ahead. But Folly didn't as much as glance at the door. He continued on casually without interruption._

 _"Um, sir, Professor Snape's storeroom is back there…" Roma timidly spoke up._  
 _"I know." Folly replied without looking her way. He, instead, turned to the left corridor where he was facing the opposite of a tapestry of trolls learning ballet. Roma watched in the distance, holding Eileen's and Septimus's hands at each side, as Professor Folly walked past a hidden door thrice._

 _"What's he doing?" Septimus looked up to Roma in puzzlement._

 _"I don't know…" Roma reluctantly responded. At last, Folly turned to the door and motioned for them to follow. Something in Roma's gut told her not to obey. Something wasn't right. She didn't like how anxious he looked around Severus Snape's children. Now he lies about taking them to his storeroom? She was in no position to decline. No one was around to help her._

 _Clutching their little hands tighter, Roma led Septimus and Eileen into the Room of Requirement._

 _~~~~~~~~~~~  
It had already been ten minutes since everyone settled themselves into their seats and began eating. Eliza hadn't touched her plate. She simply stared at the great door ahead, clearly anxious for it to open and reveal her children eagerly ready to eat dinner at the adventurous castle. Severus too was feeling uneasy. His patronus never failed to locate people, including their own children so why weren't they here by now?_

 _"I suggest we check the rooms they aren't supposed to be roaming. Those prefects will feel my wrath if I ever encounter them." Severus told Eliza, cupping her hand. She inhaled sharply and nodded stiffly._

 _"Something doesn't feel right, Severus. I fear they're in trouble. Let's check the seventh floor. I know one room they undoubtedly aren't supposed to be roaming…" Eliza replied with a frantic edge in her voice. Wherever her babies were, she felt she had to get to them before some strange, awaiting danger could…_

 _Just then, at the maximum of Eliza's and Severus's fear, the great door burst open. The Snape couple perked up at the hope of seeing their children, but they couldn't be more mistaken._


	5. Chapter 5

_The three Hufflepuff prefects rushed into the grand room and twisted their heads frantically in hopes that the children they lost would be safely reunited with their parents. One Hufflepuff girl was on the verge of tears. The leader of the prefects dared to look directly into Severus's face from a distance._

 _"They… ran off without us! We were separating two students from fighting and they – they just left. We can't find them!" The prefect leader explained drearily. Some people at the four tables gasped and began murmuring worriedly to one another and looking back at Eliza and Severus._

 _Eliza looked as if they had slapped her while Severus's hand clenched a napkin until his knuckles were white. His face was that of a murderer. Minerva turned gravely to the couple before the trembling prefects. She stood from her seat at the center of the staff supper table and approached her podium._

 _"All prefects are to search the floors for Septimus and Eileen Snape, Professor Snape's children. The prefects who find them will be awarded one hundred points to their House." Minerva announced._

 _Instantly, the House prefects stood for different reasons. The Gryffindors were motivated at the prospect of their House winning in points and the glory of rescuing children. The Slytherins were mixed. Many respected Snape for bringing heroic honor to their House while others, relatives of Death Eaters, sat and continued eating uncomfortably. The Ravenclaws noticed Roma Ramsy's absence and were prompted to help out their professors by planning out their search. Every single Hufflepuff rose from their seats and headed for the door._

 _"I have a very bad feeling about this, Severus. Something isn't right… I need to go!" Eliza jumped from her seat and hurried with the rest of the prefects. Severus pursued her. He felt it too. Whenever his patronus failed to return, so did his children. He'd give the three Hufflepuff prefects a good punishment once he was made a professor again…_

 _Professor Folly hurried into the corner of the Room of Requirement, leaving Roma with Septimus and Eileen behind them. Whatever Folly required, it didn't seem like much. In fact, it was nearly empty and dimly lit, making it difficult for Roma to see what Folly was doing. Small, dusty furniture was scattered about the room. That made the chances of falling and injuring themselves more likely, so Roma stayed behind and waited for whatever Folly intended despite her eerie feelings about it._

 _"Now you all remain right where you are. I think you may be delighted in the surprise I'm about to present to Snape's children…" Folly told them in a low, creaky voice._

 _Eileen didn't like the sound of that and began whimpering again. Septimus clutched Roma's hand closer to his face with both hands and buried his face in her palm._

 _"I want mama…" he complained in a whine._

 _"Professor Folly, maybe later… they want to go back." Roma explained. Folly clenched his yellow, crocked teeth together in impatience._

 _"I said you could wait!" he snapped. Turning his attention back to the Vanishing Cabinet directly before him, he smirked wickedly and slowly drew the cabinet doors open. Roma heard a creak followed by an overlap of low voices._

 _"Um, professor, what is that?" Roma reluctantly asked in the smallest of dares. She overheard four pairs of footsteps walking out of what looked like a cabinet ahead of her. Suddenly, the air felt chilly. A dense depression came over Roma. Could they be Dementors? No way! All of those were forbidden even in Azkaban._

 _"You've done well, Folly. I'm sure the Dark Lord will award you greatly… not as greatly as me since I'm the one who waited in Azkaban for him." A gloating, cold female voice told the professor._

 _"Everything I do is done solely for the Dark Lord, Bellatrix." Professor Folly insisted. The hairs on the back of Roma's neck suddenly rose as if electrocuted. It was impossible! There was simply no way she or Lord Voldemort could be alive after the end of the war four years ago!_

 _"Bellatrix?! What?! No!" Roma shrieked and pulled Septimus and Eileen close to her sides. The children were beginning to tremble at Roma's abrupt frenzy. Eileen's whimpers became louder. Out of the dimness of what little light offered in the Room of Folly's Requirement, Roma saw the silhouette of a slender woman with bushy curls turn to face her. Chills shot up and down her body like punches – Bellatrix's punches._

 _"Ah, and who's the mudblood, Folly?" Bellatrix's girlish voice rang throughout the room. By the tone of her, she wasn't pleased._

 _"Snape's brats ain't allowed to wander Hogwarts without a trusted student." Folly grudgingly replied._

 _"She's alone? There's no one else?" Bellatrix pressed in that haughty voice of hers._

 _"Yes, ma'am." Folly confirmed automatically._

 _"Very well. Give me the brats, mudblood, and we'll be on our way. We could do this the easy way or hard way. I always have fun with the hard way if you don't mind." Bellatrix taunted._

 _"Never! Get away!" Roma screamed before pulling the children out of the door by their hands. She ran as quickly as her feet could take her. Behind her, Roma caught a glimpse of several green and red lights ignited from their wands before reaching the seventh floor and hurrying away._

 _How could Professor Folly do this? They had a traitor in their midst this whole time! Roma refused to swallow the cold hard truth she had just witnessed – Death Eaters had broken into Hogwarts again. What did Bellatrix mean the "Dark Lord would reward him greatly"? Was she only trying to intimidate both of them? She didn't know but that concern was for later. Right now, her main priority was racing to the Great Hall to warn everyone, including the Headmistress._

 _"DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME, GIRL! I WILL HAVE SNAPE'S CHILDREN DEAD IN FRONT OF HIM AFTER DOING AWAY WITH YOU!" Bellatrix angrily exclaimed from behind Roma before casting a curse her way._

 _Roma gave a scream and luckily managed to dodge her curse by turning a corner. Septimus and Eileen began to cry loudly. They couldn't have wanted their parents more at this moment. Their wails echoed throughout the halls._

 _"I want mama! I want mama!" Septimus pleaded, hot tears cascading down his flushed cheeks._

 _"I swear in the name of Merlin I will get you safely to your mama, Septimus. You just have to trust me." Roma consoled him in a frantic tone. They arrived on the first floor at last. Shouts and more curses were casted her way but Roma had sprinted with both children to put as much distance as she could between them._

 _Just one more staircase and Roma would arrive within safe bounds of the Hogwarts staff. The stairs were right ahead and Roma's eyes glowed with hope despite the opposite feeling for the Snape children still sobbing in her arms._

 _In the most horrific of moments, black smoke flew like the wind past her head and assembled directly in front of her to form a masked Death Eater, his eyes darting dangerously at the Ravenclaw girl clutching their prime targets._

 _Roma froze in her tracks and stared fearfully at the figure. She turned to head the other way but quickly realized the rest of the Death Eaters were blocking that way as well. With no other option and hope by her side, Roma thrust the door open behind her and locked it with an anti-jinx spell._

 _She looked around for a place to hide when she realized they were in the hospital wing. The room was deserted. Not even Madam Pomfrey was present._

 _"Septimus, Eileen, go hide under the beds." Roma ordered urgently._

 _"Mama… mama…" Eileen whimpered, tears streaming down her face while she sucked on her pacifier weakly._

 _"Mama will come soon, honey. Right now, we must hide. Then, mama will find us. It's going to be alright." Roma consoled. With that, Septimus took his little sister's hand and led her to a random hospital bed. Roma lifted the sheets so the two could crawl under the bed and hide._

 _Once they were well hidden, Roma faced the door and drew her wand. Though not a prefect and possessing little skill compared to the Death Eaters, at least she could fight honorably as she had witnessed the Battle of Hogwarts in her first year. She had never been so scared in her life and was sure The Boy Who Lived would defeat Voldemort once and for all. Being trapped in a room with unpredictable moments made her doubt it all._

 _"Bomba—"_

 _"No, wait! There're students coming! We'll have to make a grand entrance of our own again. Bellatrix will take care of 'em." One Death Eater reassured. Roma heard the descending of footsteps, but was far from relieved. Another war was about to break out._


	6. Chapter 6

_"Death Eaters! Death Eaters in Hogwarts!" One prefect frantically called out to the rest of those standing in the first floor. A wave of shrieks of horror echoed through the hall, alerting the adults on the floor below. Eliza heart raced a mile at the horrible sound. She feared the worst._

 _"Oh Merlin, no!" Eliza cried and scrambled up the staircase with Minerva and Severus following her. Severus drew his wand and conjured yet another patronus. He sensed an unusual spout of danger coming from the first floor. It was familiar, almost like the screams he heard back in his Death Eater days…_

 _"Death Eaters! Death Eaters!" Nearly Endless Nick shouted, gliding above the adults with fear. Both Eliza and Severus hesitated in their tracks. Eliza looked as if someone had strangled her. It couldn't be true. Not after four years. Minerva's face was twisted in a mix of disbelief and fear. Why would they be invading again? Revenge? Proving a point?_

 _"I'll alert the professors and knights! Go and protect the prefects! Be sure they don't get past the first floor! The students must be evacuated! GO!" Minerva commanded to the Snapes before scurrying back to the Great Hall. Eliza and Severus turned to each other with trembling worry in their eyes. Eliza's was brimmed with tears._

 _"Please tell me they don't have the children…" Eliza cried. Severus placed a hand on her back and reassured her._

 _"Not if they know who they dare to reckon with…" Severus growled icily before beckoning her to continue on and quickly, his mind obsessing on the dreadful thought of their children trapped or otherwise captured._

 _Roma suddenly heard the screams and shouts coming from outside along with a barrage of curses and hexes. A battle was ensuing. It most likely wasn't safe to make an escape in the midst of such chaos. But what could be worse than facing the sadistic and violent Bellatrix Lestrange alone? She had to take her chances._

 _Turning to the children still hovering under the hospital bed, she knew the Snapes would be frantically searching for their children._  
 _"Septimus, Eileen, you can come out now. Mama and dada must be looking for you." Roma told them gently. Reluctantly, the children crawled out on all fours with Septimus remaining close to his sister._

 _"Mama… dada…" Eileen whimpered pitifully, latching onto Septimus's hand. Roma held Eileen's other free hand and led the way. This was it. It was all or nothing. The children had no idea of the danger they would face. They'd be staring death in the face before they knew what such a fate even was._

 _"Now it's going to get very bad once we go outside. I want you two to stay close to me, okay? It's very, very important that you do. We're going to have to run and when I say—" Before Roma could finish her careful instructions, a shrieking, unwelcome voice echoed from just outside the door._

 _"BOMBARDA!" A female voice commanded as the door flew across the room, barely missing Roma's head and smashing against the wall in a million pieces. It felt as if the door had made contact with Roma herself. She forced herself to the ground, taking Eileen and Septimus with her and staring up at Voldemort's most loyal Death Eater. Stories about this woman's malevolence were not exaggerating. She looked as crazy as she sounded._

 _"Get away… p-p-please… they're just kids…" Roma begged with fear, clutching the crying children close to her. Bellatrix's empty, brown eyes cast upon the pitiful Ravenclaw girl before lifting her wand._

 _"The filthy, half-bred mudbloods of that traitorous Snape are mine to kill. I'll happily take you next. If you're not a mudblood, then you're a blood traitor, and they're right next to each other in my book." Bellatrix snarled, her bushy curls flopping around her etched, aged face earned from years in Azkaban._

 _"Please! Please! NO!" Roma sobbed, covering her head as Bellatrix pointed her wand directly at the Ravenclaw's head._

 _"Avada Kedavra!" She exclaimed. The green light lit the room so brightly; it blinded the two children attempting to scurry away from the scary spell. Roma's body dropped back against the floor motionlessly. Her fixed, unseeing eyes stared up at the ceiling. Roma was dead._

 _Almost immediately, Eileen gave an ear-piercing scream before bursting into tears. Septimus did the same and hugged his sister in fear. They shouted for their mother repeatedly but she didn't seem to be coming anytime soon. They only had each other now, against this deadly servant of Voldemort._

 _Bellatrix's gloating eyes drifted from Roma's corpse to the sobbing children cuddled against the same hospital bed they hid a minute ago. The crying was beginning to get on her nerves, aside from the fact that she relished in the fear of Snape's children. He and that filthy, half-bred whore of his would be next._

 _"I would have enjoyed torturing the wretched Ravenclaw but I have everything I need right here. You can thank your daddy this ever happened to you." Bellatrix told the children coldly._

 _"Dada…" Eileen sobbed and covered her eyes so she wouldn't be able to see that scary, green light. Septimus wrapped his arms around his sister and buried his face at her little neck. Bellatrix smirked and raised her wand._

 _"Cruci—!" She was about to torture them when a sudden spell struck her back like lightning._

 _"GET. AWAY. FROM. MY. CHILDREN, YOU BITCH!" Eliza screamed at Bellatrix and Stunned her. Her face was livid. She had almost come too late. Their little screams would have been terrible, unbearable._

 _Frozen in place, Eliza's eyes drifted down to the motionless corpse of a Ravenclaw girl. It was a horrible sight. She had indeed come too late for somebody and her children would surely be traumatized after this. Nearly hyperventilating, Eliza scrambled towards her son and daughter._

 _"Mama!" The children exclaimed together with a mix of relief and overwhelming joy, rushing into their mother's arms. Eliza embraced them close to her and sobbed before she could stop herself._

 _"My babies! Thank God you're alright! Oh, honey… don't cry, mama's right here. Mama won't leave. I promise. I love you." She soothed them, rocking both of them on her shoulders and kissing their heads._

 _Eileen crawled down into her mother's lap and laid across it while Septimus clung onto Eliza's shoulder and rested his head there. Eliza massaged Septimus's back while cradling Eileen in her lap. Her green eyes lovingly met Eileen's black pupils, the same eyes she inherited from her father. They resembled lit tunnels ever since Severus found happiness in his new beloved and their family. Those pupils were so filled with relief, peace, and dissolved bitterness – something Severus never believed possible until he met Eliza Ebony._

 _Just then, in a split moment of realization, Bellatrix broke the binding spell with ease and reached for her wand. Eliza panicked, drawing out her own wand and pushing her children behind her._

 _"Under the bed, children… now!" she ordered. They reluctantly obliged, crawling under the first bed they saw._

 _It was only Bellatrix and Eliza now. Their wands were raised towards each other and it was impossible to see if faces contained more loathing. Bellatrix Lestrange couldn't be dead, but here she was, standing directly in front of her with eyes of hate. Eliza knew exactly what she was here for, and she would never allow this woman to have it. She'd defend Bellatrix's prime targets to her last breath._


	7. Chapter 7

_"Impossible," Eliza began icily. "And here we believed you were dead. Molly Weasley herself killed you. Voldemort was furious—"_

 _"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THE DARK LORD'S NAME!" Bellatrix shrilled. "And don't think for a moment that the porky blood traitor's so called "motherly love" will fool me again! Snape will pay!" she raised her wand but not before Eliza raised hers in a furious attempt to challenge her. Her green eyes darted viciously at Bellatrix and her grip on the wand began to tremble._

 _"Hear me real good, Bella, because if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a child murderer. You. Will. Never. Touch. My. Children. For. As. Long. As. I. Live." She hoped the children weren't close enough to hear the inhuman tone in her voice but was sure satisfied that this kooky woman could. It didn't phase Bellatrix in the slightest. She merely scoffed, revealing her rotting teeth._

 _Without another word, Bellatrix shot at curse aiming directly for Eliza's heart. She blocked it in the frightening nick of time and began firing back. The hospital wing was lit with green and red lights every second. The ferocity of both women was being tested. Bellatrix was a relentless ball of chaos, never failing to cast a perfect hex or curse her way._

 _Eliza knew her skill could never match that of Voldemort's most loyal Death Eater, especially after the year of torture she endured so long ago. If Bellatrix had not been in Azkaban, there would be no chance of Eliza walking out of that muggle shed alive. She gave a shudder at the thought of her being incarcerated at St. Mungo's like Neville's parents._

 _The gleam in her brown eyes sharpened to borderline insanity as Bellatrix began advancing towards her. In fear, Eliza stepped back on a defensive footing and continued to hold off her attempted curses with considerable strength. She was gaining on her and both knew it. Under the bed, Septimus peeked through an opening and watched as his mother struggled to defend herself. It looked hopeless._

 _"Mama!" Septimus called out in encouragement. "Mama!"_

 _Eliza inhaled sharply at the sound of his innocent, little voice. What would happen to them if she failed? How could she bear the thought of Severus finding her like the young Ravenclaw lying dead beside them? With a sudden newfound strength, Eliza stomped forward in offensive footing and launched a massive bombardment of curses, many of them Unforgivable._

 _Bellatrix stared back in disbelief and mimicked Eliza but a mother's love would always conquer. With a quick slice through the air, Eliza pulled her wand away as Bellatrix shrieked and fell back._

 _Eliza stared down at the boisterous vermin and turned back to her children. That should hold her off for a while. Before she could open her mouth to speak, a shining white light glowed at the doorway. It was a swan patronus, Severus's patronus inspired by hers. The beautiful bird gazed at Eliza with glowing, soft eyes and flapped its massive wings. Severus must be searching for them._

 _Eliza smiled and motioned for her children to come out again. "Go follow the bright light, darlings. It will keep you safe." She assured them softly. Hand in hand, Septimus and Eileen crawled out from under the bed and made their way towards the pretty swan waiting for them at the doorway._

 _Eliza smiled warmly and turned her attention back to Bellatrix in a final battle. But her timing was too late. Bellatrix was well on her feet and threw a curse directly at Eliza's chest. It hit her with such force that Eliza shot back to the ground and screamed at the pain searing through her._

 _"Sectumsempra!" Bellatrix yelled and pointed her wand again. Eliza gasped as a sharp pain sliced through her stomach like a sword. It was excruciating, nothing like she had felt before, not even in her year of torture._

 _"You know, I learned this curse from your husband. And here you thought he had given up the Dark Arts for good! Oh no, Mrs. Snape, you surely don't know your traitorous husband as I do! Ha!" Bellatrix shrieked with victory. Eliza jabbed her nails into the floor in an attempt to shake off the stabbing pain. Blood was soaking through her dress and making its way down at her sides. It had never felt so cold and unwelcoming._

 _"You brats stay right here where I can see you!" Bellatrix snapped at the children watching their mother in disbelief._

 _"N-No! D-d-don't, babies… G-go! Go now!" Eliza pleaded with them, trying to lift herself from the ground and face her darlings._

 _"Crucio!" Bellatrix commanded along with two more slicing curses that brought Eliza back to the ground and bleeding more profusely. The children didn't know what to do. Eileen latched onto her brother and wept at the scene of mama bleeding from all those nasty cuts on her body._

 _The swan patronus took another pitiful look at Eliza staring up at the beautiful figure – a sign of her husband's love for her. Those blue-whitish eyes seemed so eternal. Suddenly, the agony so etched into her wounds dissipated. Glancing to her children and back at the swan, Eliza watched as the patronus glided away._

 _"On second thought…" Bellatrix thought out loud and unmercifully. "You! Over there!" she pointed her wand at the children and then at the bed they were hiding under. "I have decided not to kill you but it's taking a lot out of me not to torture either of you. Instead, you'll stay here and watch mummy bleed to death in the hospital wing – ha! I can picture it now; Severus will be walking into the room to a dead lover just as he did for that mudblood mother of Potter's! He'll be left with two traumatized brats to care for knowing that daddy shouldn't have betrayed the Dark Lord!"_

 _Septimus and Eileen both trembled and began to sob as they walked over to the bed they were ordered to go to. Eliza was convulsing from the loss of blood and struggling to breathe properly. Bellatrix took flight from the hospital wing and out onto the battlegrounds again, leaving a mother and her children alone together._

 _"M-mama…" Septimus whimpered, his little face puffy from crying. Eliza looked up to them and somehow gathered the courage to crawl on her shoulders towards the bed. Eileen's cries echoed throughout the room. Tears cascaded relentlessly down her red cheeks. Eliza's bloodied hand finally reached the white sheets draped over the mattress._

 _"C-come, d-d-darling… it's b-bedt-time. Mama… will… p-put you to sleep." Eliza weakly beckoned. It already took much strength to hold herself up. After a hesitant moment, Eileen's cries quieted and the two children obliged, climbing into the bed with their mother's help._

 _Eliza held the sheets up as Septimus crawled in first, snuggling into the pillow to the right while Eileen took the left. Eliza then pulled out an extra pacifier and inserted it in Eileen's mouth to help her sleep. Once they were settled, she tucked the sheets under their arms and massaged their little heads._

 _"Mama, will you be 'kay?" Septimus asked ever so gently. Eliza pushed aside the reoccurring sharpness of the slices made deep into her skin. Blood was still oozing and draining to her feet but she couldn't let the children see that._

 _"Mama will be fine, doll. Now I want you to go night-night." Eliza kindly replied, moving her hand down to rub Septimus's back._

 _"Mama," Eileen whispered through her pacifier._

 _"Yes, honey?" Eliza answered._

 _"Can you sing that "raising" song?" she requested as a lullaby. Eliza simply smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead._

 _"Of course, darling," She happily obliged, pulling out her wand and scooting closer to her children. "When I am down, and all my soul so weary. When troubles come and my heart burdened be. Then I am still waiting here, in the silence, until you come and sit awhile with me. You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to welcome stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be…" She sang as softly and beautifully as can be like a soft, spring breeze. It was a beautiful song. A perfect melody for putting someone to sleep. Septimus's eyes were fluttering to sleep while Eileen's were completely closed already. Both were breathing rhythmically. Sleep wasn't far away now._

 _Eliza took advantage of the moment and lightly tapped the sides of both their heads and extracted a white light from inside. They were memories. Memories of the horrific torture of their mother they had witnessed moments ago. She could never in a million years let them remember that. She redirected her wand towards her head and inserted both memories despite the flutter of emotions and trauma associated with it. This was for their own good._

 _She continued to massage their heads and leaned over to kiss both of them to sleep. The odds were already not in her favor. A witch like Bellatrix almost always defeated her enemies. Hatred or an obsessive love for her master fueled all her magic. There was no chance of her surviving. The thought of never watching her children grow up pained her more severely than these wounds. How could they live without their mother to nurture and love them?_

 _Even worse, Severus would see her like this… how could he bear losing a second loved one? "Mama loves you two very much… take care of each other… always be brave… always be strong and be the best you can… always…" Eliza whispered her last words before shutting her eyes forever and flopping to the floor where a pool of blood awaited her._

 _The children were fast asleep, relishing on the seemingly goodnight words of their mother without any hint that they were her last._


	8. Chapter 8

"AH!" Severus sat up as quickly as he shot open his eyes to a dim and quiet room. He hurriedly looked down to his side where his wife, Eliza, was still sound asleep and breathing peacefully. There was no blood. No sign of Bellatrix or the Death Eaters, not even the Dark Lord for that matter.

His skin was coated with sweat from the anxiety of the dream and his heart beat faster than he could handle. All of that was beginning to calm as the realization of the false nightmare weighed in. Thank God. He knew he could never bear the heartache of losing the love of his life a _second_ time. Severus continued to sit against the sheets and pillows of their queen-sized bed and contemplate why he was having such nightmares _now_.

"Severus?" Eliza yawned gently and sat up by her elbows. "Is everything alright?"  
He watched her rub the sleep from her eyes and lay her head back now against the soft pillow while massaging his arm lazily.

"I'm fine, Eliza. Go back to sleep." He replied softly, removing her hand and adjusting his body to cuddle closer to her. Eliza gave a moan and squeezed herself into her husband's arms.

"Just a bad dream…?" Eliza murmured tiredly. Severus nodded and wrapped an arm around her bare back.

"Wanna talk about it? It sounded quite serious…" Eliza groaned and closed her eyes. Why not? She was about to fall back to sleep any moment now, regardless. Severus brushed the curls from her face and tucked them behind her ear.

"We were visiting Hogwarts with the children. They amused themselves with the castle while I applied for the Dark Arts teaching position again. The children were lost unbeknownst to us. Death Eaters raided Hogwarts and Bellatrix tried to kill the children. But you stepped in, despite the risk and consequence of facing such a ferocious woman. You lost… you lost but sang the children to sleep nonetheless. They were unharmed, but you… were…" he couldn't finish his sentence without getting choked with emotion.

As he expected hopefully, Eliza was already fast asleep again and breathing rhythmically. Severus grinned and rested his head against the pillow next to her. There was no possible way such an event would take place. The nightmare was nothing more than a fear. A fear of his past returning to him thrice the severity. He had already learned his lesson with Lily. For as long as he lived, Severus Snape vowed to never make that same mistake again with Eliza and the family they created together. Her beautiful face sleeping peacefully without an etch of fear or scar of physical trauma before him proved just that.


	9. Chapter 9

_"Eliza, I don't think it's wise for us to… behave like this in public," Yes, those were the words. Severus glanced around anxiously for any sign of nosy students or staff. Eliza only held his hand harder and beckoned him to walk faster._

 _"Dear, even Potter can't be out on a night like this. It's dreary. Plus, everyone is asleep. Have you seen what time it is?" Eliza refuted, her eyes darting towards the carriages in the courtyard. The dark clouds above them rumbled a warning, foretelling the downpour that would take place any moment. Lightning lit the skies in all directions. The last strike frightened Eliza that her rushing came to a hard halt, almost sending her lover colliding into her._

 _"Are you alright?" He asked in concern._

 _"Yes… er… no, Severus, I hate the lightning. Perhaps you're right; we should do this another time. I'm sorry," She buried herself in Severus's chest and held him close to her for comfort._

 _"Eliza," he soothed, hiding her face from the blinding forces of nature. "If you can't face the lightning, how are you able to face what's to come in the next few months?"_

 _The redheaded beauty lifted her head in realization. He was right. The clash between the Dark Lord and Hogwarts was soon to come. Harry Potter needed to be on alert which contributed to his many accusations against Draco and Severus._

 _"There were so many stormy nights like this in that shed…" She sighed in remembrance of the year-long torture endured in that muggle shed at the hands of Death Eaters, one of them Lucius Malfoy, her own cousin._

 _"Not anymore, Eliza," he grinned down at her and picked her up by her legs. He carried her for the rest of the way to the closest carriage which automatically opened and closed for them. Severus began planting kisses along her neck and shoulders, making her giggle. His hands crept from her waist up to her breast._

 _"You didn't ask," she whispered in a ridiculing manner. Severus lifted a brow at the challenge._

 _"Do I ever need to?" he teased._

 _"Before you ask me to marry you, then yes," She asserted with a wink. His expression broke for a moment before returning the grin. Marriage? The word seemed foreign to him. He quickly pushed aside his thoughts before Eliza could suspect._

 _"Asking permission can be a very dangerous decree in these times, Eliza," he shifted the subject a bit._  
 _"That's what brought us together to begin with, my darling. We're living in dangerous times, but it's bringing us closer. When this is all over, we can get married, have children, live far away from here. I can give you the life we never had…" she whispered softly, cupping his face and bringing it closer to hers. Severus let her kiss him as he pulled her closer and stroked her hair._

 _They kissed for several long seconds before repeating the process and hugging each other tightly. Severus hid his uncomfortable and uncertain expression behind his Eliza's shoulder. She smiled over his and continued to massage his head._

 _"There are certain decorations I'd like for my wedding, though." Eliza spoke happily._

 _"Oh? And just what is that?" Severus replied._

 _His mind was drifting from her talks of roses, the guests, Dumbledore as the speaker, and the dress she'd love. He couldn't help but think of the one person behind where he was at this moment and why he had gotten mad enough to go through with it._

 _Severus watched as the rain tapped on the carriage windows, one after the other as though trying to invade on them. After a few minutes of nonstop chatter, Eliza rested her head against her lover's shoulder, calmly drifting to sleep._

 _"Severus?" She mumbled tiredly._

 _"Hmm?" he half-mindedly acknowledged._

 _"My ankles are burning again… it hurts. Would you massage them for me, dear?" Eliza requested. Severus obliged without a word, tracing his fingers over the torturous scars that would plague her for the rest of his life. "Mmmh, you're so good to me, Severus," she moaned and rubbed his shoulder._

 _"You deserve it, Eliza." He told her gently. With one last smile, Eliza fell asleep, not bothered once by the lightning. Thunder roared as her consciousness slipped and Severus's worrying thoughts crept into his mind._

 _Eliza was so beautiful and so kind, not to mention she could put up with his snarky and pessimistic demeanor. Her face shined in the lightning. Severus brushed the curls from her face each minute for a feel of her smooth skin. How could he even think about what could become of them once he told her in the advancement of their already serious relationship? There could never be another woman like her, well…_

 _Eliza awoke with her neck in a knot. Her head spun at the sight of the white light gleaming through the carriage windows. Raindrops reflected the morning sunlight. That's right, Eliza thought. Severus and she had spent a lovely, but short night in this private carriage, listening to the tapping of rain and the rumble of thunder. She could still do without the lightning, she thought._

 _Her hand reached to feel her lover resting against her but the space was vacant. She sat up in surprise. Severus was gone but he left his black cloak behind. Surely there'd be a note, a message somewhere that let her know where he had gone on this Saturday morning._  
 _Sighing, she opened the carriage door and climbed out._

 _"Professor Ebony?" A voice sounded out of nowhere. Eliza glanced around to see Harry and his friends standing in front of her._

 _"Oh, good morning, Harry-dear," she hurried to adjust her slipping dress from last night and composed herself._

 _"You were… in the carriage?" Harry questioned suspiciously._

 _"Y-yes, dear. What are you up to today? Is there Quidditch practice?" Eliza quickly sparked conversation._

 _"Quidditch practice was only last night, Professor Ebony." Harry pointed out, raising a suspicious brow._

 _"Oh… right. Well, I must be going, dear. There's people I must see. Good day, Harry and Ron and Hermione, of course." Eliza winked and was about to make her way into the castle when Hermione rushed over to her._

 _"Professor Ebony?" Hermione asked politely and in a teacher's pet manner Ron almost teased her about. Eliza pivoted to face her. There was something in the muggle-born Gryffindor's face that suggested she suspected something deeper between Professor Ebony and Professor Snape._

 _"I was going to say… um… well, just a little tip that Dumbledore is occupied with someone at the moment, professor." Hermione stammered without looking Eliza in the eye. There was only one person he'd speak to at the moment._

 _"Oh… thank you, dear," Eliza thanked and pivoted to walk away. Hermione watched her with unease._

 _"What the bloody hell was that about?" Ron whispered in astonishment to Harry._

 _There was something Eliza had been meaning to give her lover. Though they clashed regarding his passionate interest in the Dark Arts, Eliza had come to terms that only recently without telling him. She could tell him now with a gift of a rare Dark Arts instructions book. It could help him when the time comes, Eliza thought. She held the book close to her, imaging her lover's surprised and pleased expression. He'd pull her close for a kiss, stroking her face and teasing her with mocking comments._

 _Eliza began walking from their dormitory they shared together and over to Dumbledore's office. There were hardly any students near his office today. Perhaps today was a lovely day after all. If Severus wasn't busy, she and Severus could go for a walk through a private forest away from here. As she neared her destination, Eliza could overhear mumbling voices as though two people were arguing. One of them was deep and cold, Severus's voice._

 _She stopped in her tracks right away and tiptoed towards the closed office door. As she controlled her nervous breathing and backed against the wall, Eliza could decipher Dumbledore's and Snape's words. The conversation was clearly serious so she didn't dare knock or even make the smallest peep._

 _"There will come a time… when Harry Potter must be told something," Dumbledore's voice hinted with anxiousness and uncertainty. "But you must wait until Voldemort is at his most vulnerable,"_  
 _This was serious indeed, Eliza paced in her thoughts. What could Harry possible be told when You-Know-Who, undeniably never going to weaken at this point?_

 _"Must be told what…?" Severus replied almost immediately, on edge. Why was Dumbledore confiding such secrets in him? Dumbledore waited a few heavy and odd moments before responding with the secret he's bottled up all these years. Severus, and unbeknownst to them, Eliza would be the first to hear it._

 _"On the night… Lord Voldemort went to Godric's Hallow to kill Harry… and Lily Potter cast herself between them, the curse rebounded…" Dumbledore whispered the last three words with hast. Eliza couldn't help herself. Her thin, curvy fingers twisted the knob ever so slowly and pushed it forward, barely giving her one eye enough room to see both Dumbledore and Snape in plain view. Severus was facing directly towards her, it's a miracle he didn't see her already. At that moment, Severus's expression flinched as though his words brought upon a horrible memory from that scene._

 _"When that happened, a part of Voldemort's soul latched itself onto the only living thing it could find – Harry himself. There's a reason Harry could speak with snakes. There's a reason he could look into Lord Voldemort's mind," Dumbledore was reaching the point of no return. Severus, too, leaned in, hungry for the secret Dumbledore kept hidden for sixteen years. "A part of Voldemort lives inside him."_

 _Eliza covered her mouth to prevent a gasp from slipping out. She shut her eyes and shook her head, as though trying to shake away the horrible thought of a soulless creature lurking within Harry's innocent body. Severus shared her reaction. His mouth stammered with hesitation._

 _"S-so when the time comes… the boy must die?" he asked in astonishment. Dumbledore pursed his thin lips, hardly believing such a thought himself._

 _"Yes," he admitted sorrowfully. "Yes… he must die," The room was overcome by unspeakable shock. How could this come down to Harry having to die himself? Who would defeat the Dark Lord then?_

 _"You've kept him alive so he could die at the proper moment…" Severus replied in realization. She had never heard his tone be spoken in such a condescending way before. "You've been raising him like a pig for slaughter!" he accused. Eliza couldn't agree more. How could an old man grow to love the boy only to turn on him "for the greater good"? It was already taking so much out of her not to jump in and shout the same._

 _"Don't tell me now that you've grown to care for the boy," Dumbledore let himself smile in the dreariest of times. Severus stared back at him in disbelief. Eliza smiled too. He had cared for the boy just as she did along. Eliza knew her lover's affections couldn't possibly be limited to just her. There was more worth fighting for in this darkening world._

 _"Expecto Patronum," he commanded, waving his wand as white lights shot out to form an animal Eliza expected to be her swan – a sign of his love. She couldn't have been more wrong. She wished she had never peeped. Tears immediately filled her green eyes. The animal was a doe, more graceful in nature and appearance than her swan as it glided about his head and dashed past Dumbledore's only to disappear out the window. Eliza had never seen such love and devotion etched into his face before at the sight of this doe._

 _Dumbledore turned back to Severus with tears in his eyes. "Lily… after all this time?"_

 _"Always," he whispered romantically._


	10. Chapter 10

_Eliza's legs trembled with hurt before collapsing to the ground. She shouldn't cry now for fear of them overhearing her. This entire time he had deceived her, lied to her every time he told her he loved her. Every embrace and kiss was a cover for his broken heart. What about hers? He had loved Harry's mother instead of her. This entire double agent scheme was for Lily Potter not Eliza Ebony._

 _Eliza buried her face in her palms and stumbled away. She didn't know where she was going. Students would possibly see her, but nothing compared to him. The dormitory sounded like a good place to cry. No, Severus could come in later. What choice did she have?_

 _"Professor Ebony!" Neville called out from behind her. Her face reddened immediately. Of all people besides the Trio, this sweet boy didn't have to see her this way. "Professor, are you alright?"_

 _"Oh, Neville…" She sobbed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm alright… there's just so much happening now…" Surprisingly, they were alone in the hallway. It was quiet, almost eerie._

 _"I know, Professor Ebony," Neville sighed sympathetically and carefully put his arms around his professor for comfort. Eliza gasped a little at first but slowly sank into the warmth. At least Neville's was true. "I have nightmares about her…" Neville spoke up._

 _"What who, dear?" her voice cracked as she spoke._

 _"Bellatrix Lestrange," Neville gave a small tremble. Bellatrix, Voldemort's most loyal Death Eater and follower. She was Lucius's sister-in-law and Draco's aunt. If that woman had been out of Azkaban in Harry's third year, Eliza would have never survived the year-long torture in the shed. Lucius was merciful compared to his sister-in-law. She could have been tortured into insanity just like Neville's parents._

 _"Dear, you were so brave to face her last year. She's wicked, sadistic, and you fought her. I could never have done such a thing." Eliza soothed in that breathy voice. Neville smiled directly at her. It had just occurred to Eliza how tall Neville had grown. "Why, Neville! You're towering over me!" she laughed, wiping the last remnants of tears from her face._

 _At that moment, Draco and his gang walked by and noticed teacher and student hugging. Draco didn't dare tease the Gryffindor boy in front of Professor Ebony. Draco decided the coast was clear despite being near Dumbledore and Snape's office. He had no respect for either of them. With the smallest of devious smirks, Draco slowed his pace to a halt beside the two. "There something you need, Mr. Malfoy?" Eliza asked in a cruder way than she meant._

 _Draco was taken aback for a moment but quickly recomposed himself. "With all due respect, Professor, do remember that my fath – er – family /as connections in higher places than the Ministry. I only wanted to give you a message to not get cozy here. Harry Potter will pay for incarcerating my father," Draco shot back with full seriousness. If he could talk to Professor Snape in such a tone, then he could surely do it to this professor too weak to teach D.A.D.A._

 _Eliza heaved a sigh and let go of Neville who was struggling to hold back a punch. She turned, crossed her arms, and let her red curls drop beside her face. "Draco, I'm not ignorant of who your father is and his relation to me. But know that you are within school grounds and I will not tolerate such disrespect. Detention in… Professor Snape's classroom tonight," she asserted, making Draco narrow his brows in annoyance. He didn't want to be around Snape in the slightest. If the Dark Lord allowed it and he was successful with his mission, he'd make Eliza pay for that._

 _Draco merely scoffed and walked off with his goonies. Eliza, feeling the strain of what her words meant, knew that Severus would have to be informed of this. The thought of him made her heart swell with hurt and seething ache. "Neville…" her voice cracked again._

 _"Yes? Are you alright? Are you sure you'll be alright?" Neville prompted._

 _"Oh yes, yes. But do one more thing for me, okay? Face another one of your fears this time," she giggled and cupped his face. "Tell Professor Snape when you see him that Draco Malfoy must serve detention tonight. Think you can do that?"_

 _Neville stared at her for a moment as though he was piecing together her crying and the location she was in. "Promise?" she pressed, losing her patience._

 _"O-of course, Professor Ebony." Neville reluctantly obliged. Without so much as a thank you, Eliza pivoted and hurried off, sure she was going to sob in front of a student._

 _Eliza burst through their dormitory door and slammed it behind her, covering her face with one hand and collapsing onto the floor. The tears just kept streaming down her face with no sign of stopping. How could he do this to her? He had encountered death before with her close by. That was in the middle of a nasty break between the two. She remembered the feeling of his shaking hand, the sight of his frightened eyes, and the feeling of their closeness that Severus missed for so long… until now._

 _"Why… why did you do this to me… Severus?" she wept. Eliza couldn't understand how he could have tricked her for the past few years. She had been nothing more than a distraction for him. She looked up with misty eyes and saw a pensieve in the corner of their room. Her mind went blank. How did that get there? When was it moved? That couldn't be Severus's pensieve, is it? Suddenly, she just remembered the incident Severus told her about when Harry saw his memories without permission. Eliza sighed; she did the same thing in Harry's fifth year which resulted in Severus ending their relationship temporarily out of anger and betrayal._

 _Now, filled with anger and betrayal herself, Eliza would do it again and Severus wouldn't catch her a second time at it. With newfound strength, she hurled herself over to the bucket of floating, swirling memories and dunked her head._

 _Her head spun amidst the confusion and fall back in time. After a few minutes, her presence came to a halt back when Severus had the first discussion with Dumbledore about their relationship when Umbridge first exercised her authority over Hogwarts. Anger already crept its way into her conscious again; she remembered this clearly. He had lied to her about seeing Dumbledore to arrange more free time with his new love._

 _"Sir, I'm afraid you have to keep Eliza in a separate dormitory," Severus immediately announced without constraint. Dumbledore looked up from his book and lifted a curious brow at the potions master._

 _"Well, this is news, Severus. Are you experiencing relationship troubles already?" Dumbledore calmly but curiously replied._

 _"No… however, I'm at odds with… Lily and Eliza. Eliza is indeed a wonderful woman, helpful, kind, and generous but I still belong to Lily, Albus," Severus admitted sorrowfully. Dumbledore's eyes widened. The room became silent. Was he still fighting for Lily or was he simply in a state of shock at the prospect of his first relationship?_

 _"This is selfish of you, Severus," Eliza had never heard such condescension in his voice before. "There's nothing you can do now about Lily. She's gone—"_

 _"Don't!" Severus bellowed and placed his hands on his head. "Don't say that!"_

 _"Severus," Dumbledore quickly regained himself and stood from his desk. "Do you love Eliza, yes or no?" he tested intensely. The room suddenly dropped further. Eliza couldn't tell if it was just her waiting for his likely response._

 _"No, I don't, but—"_

 _"Very well, Severus. I can't force you to love someone else other than Lily. That much is true. But this cannot be known to Eliza. Would you be able to withstand the heartbroken look on her face just as you had when Lily married…?" Dumbledore stopped himself before crossing the line. He made his point already. His plan had to fall into place though. Severus lowered his head in shame. How could he do this to her?_

 _"I'd prefer for her never to find out. Our relationship however has given me a sense of comfort I've needed for years since Lily died. I can't discard that and she seems content as well." Severus explained, partially in regret._

 _"Well then, I agree you two must stay together. You both satisfy each other in different ways. Plus, Eliza has more of a reason to fight against Lord Voldemort. The same applies to you, Severus." Dumbledore hinted mysteriously. Severus stared at Dumbledore in puzzlement. He wasn't wrong…_

 _"Severus?" A voice called out in the background. Dumbledore and Severus pivoted to the office door where Eliza knocked and slowly opened. She smiled upon seeing her lover._

 _"Good morning, Professor Ebony." Dumbledore greeted politely with a grin._

 _"Good morning, Headmaster. Severus," Eliza whispered and shut the door behind her. "Did you see if we could have more time to ourselves this year?" she prompted excitedly._

 _"I'm afraid not, Eliza. Suspicions might arise from Dolores and the students. Don't fret though, dear. At least you two share a dormitory and a bed. I trust there's plenty of private time for you there." Dumbledore answered reassuringly. Severus remained quiet and avoided Eliza's eye the entire time._

 _Eliza removed her head from the pensieve, unable to endure the deceitful memories any longer. So Dumbledore knew all along of Severus's intentions. Could this get any worse? Even the old man she admired for since her schooldays had betrayed her, used her in order to plan "the greater good". Why couldn't she have just died in the muggle shed while acting as a spy for Dumbledore? The thoughts rushing through her mind weakened her every moment._

 _A knock sounded at her door, jerking her back into a painful reality. She sighed and ran her fingers along her face in exhaustion._

 _"Come in," she murmured just barely loud enough for them to hear. If it was Severus…_

 _"Professor Ebony?" It was Neville again, carrying a small bouquet of flowers. They were blue periwinkle irises surrounding the reddest roses at the center; her favorite._

 _"Oh Neville, that's so sweet of you!" she managed a smile and squeal of delight. "Where did you get these?"_

 _"I grew them with Madam Hooch in Herbology class," Neville replied, grinning._

 _"Ah, Herbology class… how I loved it. I enjoyed it far more than potions, but that just may be the woman inside me." Eliza chuckled._

 _"That's just a Hufflepuff thing, professor," Neville blushed and handed her the bouquet._

 _"Oh Neville…" she admired the feel of the petals and their smell. "But it looks like you're fairing in Gryffindor, my dear." She planted a kiss on his temple as he sat down next to her on the end of the bed._

 _"You have too, professor – er – years ago too." he stammered._

 _"Not at the moment though," Eliza sighed. Neville shuffled his feet and scratched the back of his head._

 _"You know, um, if you're going through something I'm always an, um, open ear." He offered kindly. This boy was there when she needed someone. She wouldn't be seeking Severus's company anytime soon. She smiled at Neville and cupped his face. How she wished she could tell him._

 _"Thank you, honey, but I'm afraid I must resolve this on my own. It hurts now but it shouldn't in a while, dear. I wish so much to though. Neville, honey, just be cautious of…" How should she word this? Could she even bear to say it? Neville leaned in for her answer. For a split moment, she was certain this student was attempting to kiss her. "Be cautious of who you love," she finished with a crack._

 _"Mr. Malfoy," Eliza marched toward the Slytherin boy with her chin held high. Draco pivoted in surprise. She looked like McGonagall in that stance._

 _"Yes… professor?" he emphasized that last word._

 _"Are you on your way to detention now?" she asked, crossing her arms._

 _"I would be if Snape was in his office at the moment," he grumbled._

 _"Professor Snape, Mr. Malfoy," Eliza corrected cautiously. "Well, he should be here any moment. And besides… I have a message for your father."_

 _Draco lifted his brows in shock but interest. "Oh?"_

 _"Tell your father, Mr. Malfoy, that he… well, won but only against me. That is all." She declared before turning on her heel and leaving. Draco watched her leave in confusion at what her message meant._

 _As Eliza walked away, Severus was coming her way in the opposite direction. For once, she appreciated Draco's presence here. She wouldn't have to deal with his romantic gestures or a temporary glance she'd be forced to meet. A shiver ran down her spine as he passed her. That would be the last time he'd ever have to cross her again._


	11. Chapter 11

_"Headmaster, I need the keys to the potions closet." Eliza demanded of Dumbledore as soon as she walked into his office._

 _He looked up from his book and gazed at her in surprise just as he had when Severus did in the memories. Eliza flinched at the recalling but shook it aside. She could not let Dumbledore know of her intentions. He was the best Occlumens she knew besides Severus. "The keys? Why, doesn't Severus have them?" he calmly replied._

 _Eliza clenched her teeth behind her closed mouth. If this scenario replicated the memory she saw in one more way…_

 _"He's currently serving detention to Draco Malfoy. I don't want to disturb them. I knew you had a spare." Eliza quickly responded, avoiding his eye. Dumbledore narrowed his brows in suspicion. Something didn't seem right about her._

 _"Are you sure you're alright, Eliza?" Dumbledore asked in concern._

 _"I'm just fine. I'm only tired." Eliza was losing her patience._

 _"Perhaps a special potion will help with you your headaches, I presume?" Dumbledore gave her the keys and stared at her with genuine care._

 _"Yes… it's been an awful, awful day." She tried answering without her voice cracking yet again._

 _"Are you and Severus experiencing relationship troubles at the moment, Eliza?" His voice softened to empathy. Don't let this happen. Don't let this happen, Eliza screamed inside her head._

 _"No…!" she lied before snatching the keys and hurrying out of his office, slamming the door behind her. Dumbledore stared in displeasure but sadness while his hand remained in its same, outstretched position. She was up to no good. Draco's detention would have to be cancelled. Severus's services were needed immediately._

 _Eliza dropped the keys three times trying to unlock the door. Her hands shook at the prospect of what was to come. Could she truly muster the strength to do what she was thinking? She stumbled into the room, trapping herself into this suddenly dark, dreary, and desolate closet. Not an inch of space was spared upon shelf after shelf of exotic potions. The claustrophobic space smelled like old shoes and bitterness. In front of her was a small table utilized for brewing potions supplied with all necessary herbs and tools._

 _Inhaling deeply, Eliza closed her eyes momentarily and locked the door behind her before walking toward the table. She pulled out her wand and commanded for certain ingredients to be cast down onto the table. Between the grinding of herbs, infusing wormwood, and brewing in the small cauldron provided Eliza managed to let a few more tears drop from her face and into the potion._

 _When the last tear hit the potion, a small cloud of black gas rose from the cauldron and formed into the image of a skull staring back at Eliza with condescending sockets. She gasped and froze in place until the skull dissipated and she reluctantly resumed her work. At last, the potion was successfully brewed and placed into a small bottle. The liquid looked like oil and smelled of it as well. It was all she needed._

 _An escape from this painful world wouldn't be a pleasant one but it would be a relief._

 _She held the bottle at eye level._

 _Her hand began to tremble._

 _Could she truly be capable of such a thing?_

 _Was she weak or was she justified?_

 _This potion's effects were supposed to kick within five minutes of consumption. Perfect._

 _Without further thought, Eliza threw her head back and gulped the entire bottle down within milliseconds._

 _It stung her throat. The taste was revolting but relieving._

 _Her heart thumped for mercy. Her breathing became ragged. The bare sight of the potions and table blurred and merged into nothing more than colors._

 _At last, her legs gave out and Eliza collapsed to the ground. With some struggle, Eliza's breath slowed and her eyes shut without constraint. Eliza Ebony exhaled one last time and all became motionless._

"Is there any specific reason you've summoned me during a student's detention. That student being…" Severus impatiently told Dumbledore.

 _"There are more pressing situations at the moment, Severus. Eliza isn't looking well. She barged into my office demanding for the keys to your potions storeroom." Dumbledore replied tensely._

 _"Did you see what her intentions were?" Severus prompted in worry, rushing to meet and even surpass the Headmaster's pace._

 _"She was using Occlumency so her intentions must not be in any of our favors." Dumbledore replied, his blue eyes darting in the distance._

 _"You mean your favors," Severus spat, glaring at him._

 _"Do not talk to me about my favors, Severus," Dumbledore shot back with accusation. "You kept her as a substitute for… Miss Evans from the beginning to distract you from your sorrows and guilt." Severus clenched his fists and teeth in hate before softening in regret._

 _"What I didn't tell you earlier was that love isn't the only factor motivating me to join you and your bloody Order," Severus began in a hasted whisper. "I genuinely felt remorse for her. She was a friend, a friend that eventually left my life, but a friend nonetheless. She'll always be in my few childhood memories I cherish. But Eliza is a new chapter in my life. Since we had that talk a year ago, I—"_

 _"Quiet; students are coming this way." Dumbledore immediately silenced him. A few Slytherin students were passing by, chatting about Professor Slughorn and avoiding Dumbledore's eye._

 _The unsettling thought of her still weighed on his mind. Eliza was in trouble. He could feel it as well. If he didn't get to her soon, something could happen. Something dangerous._

 _"Then let's hurry now!" Severus barked at the Headmaster and rushed towards the storeroom. Dumbledore hurried after him._

 _They reached the storeroom. Severus clenched and twisted the knob. His heart churned when he found it locked. What was she doing in there? The new D.A.D.A. professor stepped back and pulled out his wand, aiming it at the door._

 _"Bombarda!" he casted. The door was forced off its hinges and exploded into a million pieces. The noise was thunderous much to his annoyance; children would curiously gather around the sight. A sight it was…_

 _Severus's face completely drained of color. Eliza was collapsed beside the table, lying motionless with a clenched fist resting at her head. "No…" he rasped._

 _Dumbledore instantly pivoted and whispered an incantation that mended the door back together again for fear someone would see._

 _"Is she alive? Check her!" Dumbledore hastened._

 _Severus gathered her in his arms and felt along her face and neck with his hand. There was no pulse. She wasn't breathing. Beyond all measure of anxiety, Severus reached for the bottle in her stiff hand and smelt it._

 _"Oh M-Merlin, no… no-no!" Severus began to sob and held her against his face. This couldn't be happening. How could she do this to him? Why?_

 _Dumbledore's eyes became misty at the regret of not interrogating her earlier. If something was troubling her about Severus, she knew she could always go to him for advice. He sank into a chair nearby and buried his face in his hands out of despair._

 _Severus struggled to keep his sobs quiet as she pulled her face towards his and began kissing her cold lips with a desperation to join her…_


	12. Chapter 12

Eliza gasped and shot up from her sleep. At first she thought they were truly back in the shared dormitory, still awaiting the Dark Lord's downfall and still keeping their relationship secret. But Eliza was only back in the house she and Severus bought after the Battle of Hogwarts and the birth of their son.

The room was dim and dreary, similar to the closet she was in. All was silent as though the atmosphere was sharing her shriveling fear. Eliza sighed in relief at the escape from her nightmare and ran her hands along her face. It hasn't even been five years ago since loved ones had perished in the great battle that took Voldemort and his Death Eaters down. The death of Remus, Tonks, Fred, and the fifty others that gave their lives for Harry and the Wizarding World's safety weighed on her heart. The remorse for not contributing to the battle and possibly saving her friends' life made her want to check in with Teddy Lupin who was now being raised by Tonks' mother.

She flopped back down on her pillow and turned to her husband who was fast asleep. She was itching to share her nightmare with him but didn't want to awake him from one of the good nights he had with sleep. Her eyes closed before she knew it. Her body rolled away from him as the emphasis of sleep drew near.

Suddenly, a hand felt along her back and slowly made its way down to her waist. He was awake after all. Eliza smiled and turned back to him. "Honey… you alright?" she moaned.

"I could ask you that same question, Eliza," he whispered back in worry.

"What do you mean?" she perked.

"What's troubling you?" he begged, holding her closer by the waist. She didn't speak for a moment but snuggled into the hug and sighed.

"I had a nightmare… that you didn't love me. You only used me as a substitute for Harry's mother. I was so distraught and heartbroken by this that I… took my own life. This was before you had to kill Dumbledore." She tearfully confessed and hid her face in his shoulder.

"You know that's not true," Severus immediately replied, brushing her cheek and curls. "You were never a substitute, Eliza. I made mistakes with Lily, but I made mistakes with you too and you never left. You are the love of my life, not her." With that assurance, he kissed her forehead and returned back to sleep with Eliza in his arms.

She was surely certain about his love for her. But one pressing question she couldn't push aside was why her husband was suffering from horrific nightmares and now it was her turn…


End file.
